Aug 29, 2013

The weather is changing, and I kind of like it. I'm looking forward cooler weather, but I'm not quite ready for zucchini season to end – we've been eating "zoodles" all summer long!

This is sorta a two part recipe, I made a pot of my Crock Pot Italian Turkey Meatballs at my toddler's request but rather than eating mine with pasta, I served it over zoodles (zucchini noodles) for a lighter low-carb alternative (perfect for using up zucchini from your garden).

A good rule of thumb is one medium zucchini per person, since you lose some when you cut them and the shrink a bit when they cook. To cut them I used my OXO mandolin with my julienne blade and I stop right about when I get to the seeds, then I rotate and slice. A word of advice, please be careful when using a mandolin, the blades are VERY sharp.

You can also use a spiralizer instead to make them more spaghetti-like. I'm going to be making these as much as I can as long as I can find zucchini at my local farmer's market!

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. When hot add the oil, onions and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Increase heat to medium-high and add the zucchini, season with salt and pepper to taste and cook about 1 minute. Give it a stir to mix everything around and cook another 1 to 1-1/2 minutes, or until the vegetables are cooked through yet firm.

Divide the zucchini between 3 bowls and top with 4 meatballs and sauce, add some grated cheese and enjoy!

Yep, mandolins are definitely dangerous... The second time I used mine I sliced half my finger off and had to go to the emergency room to get it sewn back on... Then the next week my boyfriend went to just simply move it off the counter and he barely touched the thing and his thumb got sliced open, and BAM, back to the emergency room we went.. He made me throw it out after that, stating no one should have anything that sharp in their kitchen without chain mail gloves haha..

I can't wait to do the zoodles with the meatballs. I've never tried them! I know what's going into the crock pot this weekend! We get lucky in Texas, zucchini keeps producing a lot longer than it does "up north".

Just purchased my first mandolin...works fantastic and yes VER SHARP - use the special handle thing when using it it really help. I also purchased a hand help OXO thing that make the zucchini in strands sort of looks like a carrot peeler. really easy too.

This looks good. I did make some zoodles and cooked them too long but they were still edible!

I'm making something so similar tonight. Using the same OXO mandolin (which I'm still trying to figure out) for the zuccchini strips and cooking it with some spaghetti, shrimp, lemon and pine nuts. This with meatballs looks wonderful for the Fall!

WoW! I've never thought of zucchini as pasta! I tried it tonight with a bit of pesto, a chicken thigh, a bit of onion, some roasted peppers and a few beet tops. All i can say is wow. I didn't miss the pasta AT ALL! I took 2 points for the olive oil and 3 points for the chicken. 5 delicious points instead of 10 for a "regular" pasta meal!I'm hooked! Thanks for the idea Gina!

Okay your recipes are usually pretty darn good, but Zoodles, that's genius right there. PS I have a beautiful stainless steel French Mandolin which I keep in it's box. I use the one I got at K Mart all the time, simple is best with this tool, my little one makes great julienne.

Such a big fan of veggie alternatives for noodles so keep it comin'!! :) I actually wanna thank you- I recently lost 26 pounds and I feel like it's largely because I was able to be so successful on my diet thanks to some of your recipes!! I was still eating what I would crave, I'd just always pop by here and see if there was a "skinny" way to indulge! Now I always refer people to your site! You rock!! :)*KrystinaBy the Seat of My Shorts

I've been following your blog for a while, and never left a note so thought I'd send you a quick THANK YOU to say how much I just love your postings. So delicious, so healthy and always a favorite with my family and friends. I've become famous for your zucchini lasagna recipe :) Keep the great posts coming!

This looks delicious, and I love pasta alternatives! I just posted a spaghetti and meatballs alternative this morning like you, and posted a zucchini pasta recipe 2 weeks ago ... great minds think alike! I don't have a mandolin (just rely on my spiralizer) but I've been eyeing them, so that may change soon :).

Thank you so very much for this wonderful recipe. My husband is not quite two months out from gastric bypass surgery and I made this tonight and it is the best thing he has had since the surgery and we both loved it. I did cut back to a teaspoon the oil for the sauce and leave the fresh garlic out of the "zoodles" and just used one clove in the sauce and it was still wonderful. I am inspired to make his favorite dishes sans noodles and use the "zoodles". This was so easy and so good.

This is on my "to get" list. Easier than a mandolin. http://www.amazon.com/Paderno-World-Cuisine-A4982799-Tri-Blade/dp/B0007Y9WHQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1378951964&sr=8-1&keywords=vegetable+spiral+slicer

The zoodles turned out good. I'd recommend one large zucchini per person. We have a little bit leftover. The zucchini does release a lot of moisture/liquid, so I'd recommend draining the cooked zoodles over a colander before serving. I only cooked ours 2 minutes, as we like our veggies tender-crisp.

This is an awesome recipe for those cumbersome large zucchini. I used the "zoodle maker" from amazon and it worked great. Rave reviews from the hubs and now I'm looking for other things to use with our zoodles.

I have been following and making your amazing recipes for over a year and this is my first post. This recipe is genius and delicious! I bought a mandolin and cannot believe that the "zoodles" are even better than pasta! My 7 year old made the meatballs and the whole family devoured the dinner! Thanks for another great one, Gina!

We finally got a mandolin today so I could make zoodles! We had some chicken meatballs in the freezer so I made some sauce with the garlic, crushed tomatoes and tossed in some mushrooms. I knew I would love them but was so pleased that everyone else ate them all up! Thanks to low point zoodles, I was able to indulge in a wonderful 5 point dessert and stay within my points for the day! (Dessert was a pumpkin roll with peanut butter cream cheese filling...oh so good but I need a lightened up version of it hint hint ;)

Simply and deliciously delightful. I cooked the zoodles through in the sauce and the kids swore it was better than pasta (at first they didn't believe that it wasn't, I attribute this to my handy zucchini cutting skills) It's a bit more work than just boiling a bunch of pasta, but I'd gladly make the switch any day. This is definitely going to make a regular appearance on our dinner table.

They do not freeze well. When you defrost them they are a mushy mess. Sweet Potato and Butternut squash noodles freeze well. You can julienne zucchini and store it in the fridge for 3-5 days. You will just have to pat them down with a paper towel because they get a little bit of moisture build-up.

Another wonderful recipe. The meatballs were so moist and delicious! I Was so excited to use my new spiralizer today! My husband LOVED it! He said he enjoyed it more than spaghetti. Thanks again Gina! I've lost over 15 lbs in 2 and 1/2 months thanks to your wonderful recipes! I even pulled a size 8 dress out of the back of my closet and was so excited when I put it on and it fit beautifully,. (My husband has lost weight and looks great too!)

i have recently found your site and have used it daily for dinner recipes! thank you so much for helping me eat and feed my family healthier meals! also, thank you for the easy to follow recipes and for the easy to find ingredients (so far)!

I bought that gadget "Vegetti" at my local drug store. I'm sure they have it in Walmart or other large stores. I put the zucchini in one end and twist it, the "vegetti" has little blades that cut the zucchini into perfect ribbons. They also have a safety guard to protect your fingers. It's the best little tool I've used.

I bought a gadget at Bed Bath & Beyond called a Veggetti. It works just great for making spaghetti like strands out of zucchini. I've been using it all summer and just love it, I substitute the Zoodles (great name) for pasta in all my favorite quick pasta dishes. I blogged about it here: http://notesfromnorma.blogspot.com/2014/08/let-me-tell-you-about-my-veggetti.htmlI love your blog and will have to be sure to check it more often.